Why Hybrid

2nd Gen Toyota Prius at a Show

If you’re in the market of a new car, you could do yourself and the planet a favor by buying a hybrid vehicle. It is both environmental friendly and good for your budget. Car manufacturers improve the hybrid technology each year. Because of these developments, mass production of hybrid vehicles is becoming cheaper.

Hybrid vehicles are more fuel efficient than the average fossil fuel guzzler on the road. The energy produced by the hybrid is cleaner than the conventional engine because of the hybrid electric motor. Most hybrid cars turn off the gasoline engine when the vehicle is idle. This makes it quiet when parked or during a red light.

Hybrid vehicles can go five to eight hundred miles on one full tank of gas. The conventional fossil-fueled sedan can only average two to three hundred miles to a tank of gas. Just think of the gas you’ll save with a hybrid. Of course if you prefer a hybrid SUV, the miles per tank of gas might be lower but it is still more than the usual SUV.

We all know that fossil fuel is one of the major causes of pollution on the planet. Each car travelling on the road contributes to global warming. The air we breathe gets dirtier each day and cars are to be blamed partly for it.

When you use a hybrid vehicle, carbon emissions are reduced. Air pollution will be lessened if everyone gets a hybrid. At present when you are stuck in traffic, you’ll see a faint haze around the vehicles and once you roll down your windows, you can smell a distinct odor of carbon monoxide from the tailpipe exhaust. With a hybrid car, the gasoline engine powers down and the electric engine turns on.

Governments around the world are now taking global warming seriously. They are thinking of ways to reduce the carbon footprint and decrease the greenhouse effect in the air. One of the solutions they came up with is the promotion of the use of hybrid vehicles. At present, hybrids have a steep price tag. As an incentive for hybrid buyers, governments give out tax breaks that depend with the make of the hybrid car. Fuel efficiency is also taken into consideration when accounting the tax break. If you’re in the market for a hybrid, you better purchase one right now because tax breaks are expected to expire in the next few years.

Hybrid vehicles have low maintenance and service costs. You don’t need to replace the expensive battery of a hybrid. Not only has that, hybrid cars have warranties for 100,000 miles or up to ten years. Maintenance for one is the same as with other fossil fuel cars. They need to have tire replacements and oil changes just like any normal car. No other special maintenance is necessary.

Safety is also a concern for hybrid vehicles. They have the same safety features found in normal cars. Operating a hybrid is the same as with a normal car as well. The only difference is that fuel consumption is less and a quieter engine.